My dog is itching and licking his belly with no visible cause. What helps?

Hello. It is difficult to say if these are actually bites, or some other allergic type reaction. Do the bumps show up in different areas each day? How long do they last, a few minutes, hours or days? This might give a better idea of the actual cause of the lesions. I cannot recommend using any medications, but I can recommend trying something over the counter. Petco carries Zymox shampoo & a lotion with hydrocortisone. They also carry a line called Well & Good that also has a hydrocortisone spray. These are very soothing for inflamed & itchy skin. I would also be sure to use a good flea & tick preventative as this will help to discourage all biting insects. If the lesions persist, Brin may need to be treated by your veterinarian, but this would be a good place to start. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is possibly due to allergies. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing his allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. A secondary infection is likely and also needs to be addressed. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is possibly due to allergies. A secondary infection is likely and also needs to be addressed. A topical is not likely to be of much help here. You could consider using an e-collar to prevent licking if that is currently an issue. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively!

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Daje. Poor girl sounds miserable. Take a cup of oatmeal, and put it into a blender to make a fine powder. Then add it to a warm bath, and put her in it. That may help temporarily soothe her skin. First thing in the morning, have her seen by a vet to diagnose the cause of the skin problem so she can get treated. I hope this helps!

Thanks for using PetCoach! The pictures didn’t come out very well on my end for some reason but these could be pyodermas small skin infections). This is usually due to underlying allergies. Allergies commonly appear at age 2-4 but can develope at any time. If that is the case, they are usually environmental but if you’ve switched food or added a new treat in the last few weeks, that could be a cause too. Finally, new shampoo, change in laundry soap, etc can also cause this to flare up. Treatment is topical (including medicated shampoo) or oral antibiotics and addressing underlying allergies of needed. It is also possible that these spots are mites or ringworm, insect bites, or other. Try Benedryl (see link below) and a medicated shampoo like Duoxo Calm first if you like. Bathe twice weekly during a flare up, then every 1-2 weeks for maintenance. If no improvement in a week (or worsening at any time) it’s time to see the vet for a better diagnosis and treatment. https://www.petcoach.co/canigive/dog/benadryl Best of luck to you and Oliver!

Thank you for contacting Pet Coach with your question about Thor. Poor boy! Try giving him an oatmeal bath, that may help with the itching. Unfortunately, it's illegal for me to recommend any OTC medications. Keep an eye on him, and if the itching gets worse, the bumps spread, his face starts swelling, and/or he has trouble breathing, take him into an ER vet right away. Best of luck, I hope this helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is possibly due to allergies. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing his allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively!